County Champs
5K Champs
Many of the thirteen Spartans in the first race in the Hatfield 5 Kilometre series on Tuesday evening were rewarded with county medals and/or some excellent times.
The first Spartan to finish, in second position overall out of 141 , was SIMON JACKSON. His a new season’s best time of 16 minutes 52 seconds, was just three seconds shy of his personal best run in 2010 and he collected a county silver medal for his efforts. Next Spartans home in 23rd position overall was DAVID BOWKER with a 22 seconds improvement to his season best time to 18:20. CHRISTOPHER WESTCOTT finished in 19:09 in his first 5k of the year, continuing his recovery from injury, with BERNIE BARNABY 40th in his fastest time since re-joining the club last year, 19:29, to win the Bronze medal in the county team competition.
LISA BURGESS led the ladies home in a new personal best time of 20:18, followed by SARA BROOKS, 21:47, to improve her PB run at the Handicap 5k 2 weeks earlier by 1:28, with CLARE MOORE 22:44 in a new PB of her own, 43 seconds faster than 2 weeks before, to finish 4th in the ladies county team event.
Fairlands Valley Spartans also completed a ‘B’ team in the ladies county race with LISA GRAY, 23:17 improving her PB by 0:17 seconds; MICHELLE REEVES 23:24 cutting her PB by 1:28; and CLAIRE BAKER 24:12 taking 2:21 off her PB. They were in fifth position overall.
PAUL HOLGATE and ANDREA WESTCOTT completed the 13 Spartans line-up with Paul recording a new year best time of 26:34 and Andrea a new season best time of 28:20.
Serpentine runner, CARLOS VASQUEZ GARCIA, who has been training with the club since his recent move to Stevenage, finished in 4th position overall in a time of 17:02, 34 seconds quicker than in the club’s Handicap 5k earlier in the month.
The 5k series consists of 3 races with the next race in 2 weeks’ time on Tuesday 8th October and the final race on the 21st October.
Position Name Time Comments
2 SIMON JACKSON 16:52 County Silver. SB.
4 CARLOS VASQUEZ GARCIA 17:02 Team Bronze
23 DAVID BOWKER 18:20 Team Bronze. SB.
34 CHRISTOPHER WESTCOTT 19:09 Team Bronze
40 BERNIE BARNABY 19:29 PB (0:16)
52 LISA BURGESS 20:18 PB (0:11)
70 SARA BROOKS 21:47 PB (1:28)
81 CLARE MOORE 22:44 PB (0:43)
84 LISA GRAY 23:17 PB (0:17)
86 MICHELLE REEVES 23:24 PB (1:28)
92 CLAIRE BAKER 24:12 PB (24:12)
102 PAUL HOLGATE 26:34 YB
108 ANDREA WESTCOTT 28:20 SB
There were 141 finishers
Jo Wins At New Welwyn 10
JO LAING won the ladies’ veteran race at the New Welwyn 10 on Sunday.
This new race is a beautifully scenic, mostly off-road race from Wheathampstead on country roads and footpaths taking in Ayot St Peter, Ayot Green and the Brockett Hall country estate. But it is on a tough route with times 5 to 10 minutes slower than might be expected in a road event.
The six Spartans taking part were Daniel Bate 35th in 1:12:27; Dave Bowker 37th in 1 hour 12 minutes 48 seconds; Jo Laing 45th in 1:13:25 4th female & 1st lady veteran; Steve Green 72nd in 1:17:21; Isabel Green 153rd in 1:29:57 (PB); and Paul Holgate 197th in 1:36:43
There were 227 runners in the race.
What A Warrior Claire
A chuffed CLAIRE COKER was first female home in wave three of the Warrior Adrenalin 10K. It took her 66 minutes.
Best For Seven Years
GRANT RAMSAY ran his fastest 5K for seven years at the Biggleswade Open Track meeting. He won the race in 16 minutes 21 seconds.
JOHN HARRIS ran the 800 metres at the same event in 2 minutes 32 seconds.
Southend Parkrun
DANIEL BATES finished 6th out of 160 runners with a time of 20 minutes 20 seconds in Saturday’s 5K Parkrun at Southend. Not bad for first event back since the Jungfrau Marathon!
Last Friday
Stupidly only 65 hours after finishing second in the County 5k SIMON JACKSON was racing the Last Friday Of The Month in Hyde Park
Despite having nothing in his legs when he needed it at 3k he still did 16.54, 2 seconds slower that Tuesday and just 5 seconds off his personal best. He was eighth overall.
Oostende Marathon – Sunday, 29th September 2013
Roger Biggs travelled to the Belgium Coast to take part in the Inaugural Oostende Marathon.
It was a nice sunny warm day, but with cooling winds off the sea and the various canals. The event was on a flat course, but with a few sections of cobbles, and miles of concrete paths took their toll.
Roger struggled to maintain his sub-4 hours pace in the second half, but found something over the last 5km to finish in 3:58:22.
Barns Green Half
Bev Harlow ran the Barns Green half marathon in East Sussex in 2:02:09. It was on a lovely rural undulating course on a gloriously sunny day.
New Forest Half Marathon
Darryl Stevens ran the New Forest Half Marathon in 2 hours 39 minutes 58 seconds.
Lisa GNR
Recently LISA GRAY did her first half marathon in at the Great North Run in Newcastle with a time of 1:48:35 which she was delighted with. It was a superb experience. She hopes to have raised over 350 for Autism Uk too.
Coming Events
Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:
• Herts Veterans 5K Championships in WGC on Tuesday 8th October
• Great Eastern Half Marathon in Peterborough on Sunday 13th October
• Handicap 5K in Stevenage on Thursday 17th October
• County 10 Mile Championships for veterans on Sunday 27th October
• Stevenage Half Marathon on Sunday 3rd November
• Spartans AGM on Friday 22nd November
• County Ten Miles Championship in Buntingford on 30th December 2013
• Presentation Evening on Friday 28th February 2014
Join The Spartans
Live in or near Stevenage? Like running? Fairlands Valley Spartans is your local running club and is on the up! The club was voted the UK’s Best Running Club in 2010. It now has hundreds of members and encourages participation by all. The Spartans have a varied training programme to suit those who want to run 5 kilometres through to full marathons.
The Spartans weekday training sessions are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Go along to the new sports centre at Marriotts School – a Sports College, Brittain Way, Stevenage (SG2 8UT) at 7p.m. Up to five running groups go out on training nights – there will be one to suit you!
The Spartan Starter group starts from Marriotts at 7.30p.m. every Monday (except public holidays) and 7p.m. every Thursday.
Most long Sunday morning training sessions start 9.30a.m. sharp. Spartan track training sessions are held at Ridlins Athletics Track, Woodcock Road, Stevenage most Saturdays from 9.15a.m. There are events to enter every Sunday. Newcomers are very welcome – those who have not done very much running yet might prefer to start with a Thursday, Saturday or Monday session.
Try a few sessions before joining. Membership is only £35 per year, £25 without UKA membership. Concessions are available. Membership forms are available on the Spartans website www.fvspartans.org.uk Please ask if you would like a paper copy.
If you want to know more about the Spartans please contact Jim Brown (0793 968 7509 or 01438 354505), Vivienne Honey 07702 846304 or visit their website www.fvspartans.org.uk
E N D S
More from Jim Brown (Press Officer) 0793 968 7509 / 01438 354505 or Vivienne Honey (Secretary) 07702 846304
www.fvspartans.org.uk